Acetylene-gas generator.



Patented Mar. 26,1901.

No. 67u96.l

J. H. WLLERS. ACETY'LENE GAS GENERATUB.

(Applicstion led Sept. 18, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNrrn STATES PARENT OFFICE.

JACOB H. WILLERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ACE'l'YLEN EGAS G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,696, dated March26, 1901.

Application filed September 18, 1900. Serial No. 30,394. iNO model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known thatLJACoBH.W1LLERs,aciti zen of the United States, and aresident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, inr

the county and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedAcetylene-Gas Generator, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedacetylene-gas generator arranged to automatically feed the carbid intothe water, to generate gas in measured quantities according toconsumption, and to permit convenient removal of the carbid residuewithout interrupting the working of the machine and without danger ofair passing into the machine or gas escaping therefrom.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out inthe claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is asectional side elevation of the valve-plug, and Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the end of one member of the valve-operating lever mechanism.

The improved acetylene-gas generator is provided with a generator-casingA, having on its top a hopper B for containing the calcium carbid,placed in the hopper through a suitable filling device C. In the bottomof the hopper is arranged a valve D, periodically opened, as hereinaftermore fully described, to allow a measured quantity of the carbid to passfrom the hopper B into the water contained in the generator-casing Abelow the said hopper. The gas generated by the carbid coming in contactwith the water in the generator-casing A is carried from the latter by apipe E to the bell F of a gasometer F of any approved construction, andfrom this gasometer the gas is carried in the usual manner to theburners.

The bottom of the generator-casing A is formed with a hopper A', inwhich accumulates the carbid residue, the outlet of the hopper beingnormally closed by a hollow tapering valve-plu g G, held on a link Ill,attached to the lower end of a rod I, extending upwardly and through atube J, forming part of 5 5 the casing A and leading to the outsidethereof at the top of the casing. The rod I is provided at its outer endwith a handle l', adapted to be taken hold of by the operator to pullthe rod I upward and move the valve-plug G 6o o its seat and allow thecarbid residue to discharge from the hopper A', as hereinafter morefully described. The upper end J of the tube J is preferably madefunnel-shaped,

as indicated in Fig. l, to allow of using the tube J for filling thegenerator A with water. The lower end of the hopper A is formed wi th acylindrical extension A2, carrying supporting-arms K for bolts L, hingedon a receptacle N, adapted to receive the carbid resi- 7c due from thehopper A when the valve-plug G is unseated, as previously mentioned. Thereceptacle N has a funnel at its upper end and is provided with ahorizontal flange N',

which fits upon a corresponding flange A3 on 75 `carbid residue slidesfrom the hopper A by its own gravity down through the: hopperoutlet andthrough the hopper extension A2 into the said receptacle then the waterin the receptacle is displaced, and very little air, if

any, can pass into the generator-easing and 9o mix with the gas therein.

In order to permit convenient replacing of the valve-plug G on its seatin the outlet of' the hopper A, I provide the top of said plug with anupwardly-opening valve G', so that 95 when the rod I is pushed downwardand the plug passes through the wateriin the hopper then the valve opensto allow convenient seating of the plug on its seat inthe outlet of thehopper.

the plug in its seat, I prefer to cover the side of the plug withrubber, as indicated at G2 in Fic. 2. y

In order to periodically feed `the carbid Previous to securingthe 8o Inorder to insure a" tight fit of loo from the storage-hopper into thecasing A, the valve D is held von a weighted lever D', tulcrumed at theunder side of the hopper B, as is plainly shown in Fig. l. This lever D'is connected by a link O with a lever P, fulcrumed on the inside of thegenerator-casing A, and -from this lever P extends upward a rod Q,reaching with its upper end to the outside of the generator-casing A bythe rod passing through the tube A4, attached to the side of the casingA. On the upper end of the rod Q is pivoted an arm Q', adapted to reston a wedge Q2, carried by the rod Q, and said arm Q' is adapted to beengaged by a projection F2, secured to the side of the bell F', so thatwhen the latter sinks the said projection engages the arm Q' and pressesthe rod Q downward to impart a swinging motion to the lever P, which bythe link O imparts a swinging motion to the lever D', so that the valveD is moved into an open position to allow some of the carbid in thehopper B to pass into the casing A and into the water c ontained thereinto generate a new batch of gas. As this gas passes from the casing A byway of the pipe E into the bell F' the latter rises and the projectionF2 moves out of engagement with the arm Q', so that the weighted leverD' swings back to its former position-that is, moves the valve D back toits seat--to close the lower end of the storagehopper B.

In case the carbid has all passed from the hopper B into the casing Aand the hopper needs reiiling and no gas is generated, then the bell F'sinks and the valve D is opened, as previously explained, and uponfurther withdrawal of the gas from the bell F' the latter sinks downstill farther and in doing so presses the arm Q and rod Q downward tosuch an extent that the wedge Q2 slides o on the fixed part R, wherebythe rod Q is moved inward and the arm Q' slips out of er1- gagement withthe projection F2, so that the weighted lever D' immediately returns thevalveD to its seat and moves the rod Q back toits uppermost position.When this takes place, it is an indication that the hopper B is empty,and the operator now refills the hopper with calcium carbid by chargingthe hopper with carbid through the filling device C. During thisrecharging the hopper is closed at its lower end by the valve D, and inorder to again start the machine it is necessary for the operator topress the rod Q, so as to open the valve and allow a quantity of carbidto pass into the generatorA to generate a fresh batch of gas. When thistakes place, the gas passes into the bell F', whereby the latter rises,and in doing so the projection,

F2 comes in contact with the arm Q' and swings the same upward against aspring Q3, which when the projection F2 has passed the arm Q' forces thelatter back to its normal position. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The several partsof the machine are then again in working position.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentl. An acetylene-gas generator, comprising agenerator-casing having a hopper bottom for the accumulation of thecarbid residue, a valve-plug for normally closing the outlet of saidhopper bottom, a rod for manipulating said plug, and a tube in saidcasing, and through which extends said rod, said tube serving as a guidefor the rod and as a fillingtube for the generator-casing, as set forth.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a gasometer-bellprovided with a projection, and a carbid-storage hopper in the upperpart of the generator, of a valve for closing the bottom of the hopper,a weighted lever mechanism for normally holding the valve closed, an armpivoted to one member of the lever mechanism and adapted to engage theprojection on the gasometer-bell,and a Wedge-shaped projection on saidmember of the lever mechanism below the pivoted arm and upon which thesaid arm rests, substantially as described.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a gasometer,having its bell provided with a projection, a generator, and acarbid-hopper at the upper end of the generator, of a valve for closingthe bottom of the hopper, and a lever mechanism for normally holding thevalve closed, one member of the said mechanism being provided with apivoted arm for engaging the projection of the gasometer-belland withawedge-shaped projection below the said arm,said wedge-shaped projectionserving to hold the pivoted arm in a horizontal position and to engage afixed part of the gasometer to move the arm out of the path of theprojection,substantially as described.

4E. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a gasometerhaving its bell provided with a fixed projection, a generator, and acarbid-hopper from which the carbid is fed .to the generator, of a valvefor closing the outlet of the hopper, and a lever mechanism for normallyholding the valve closed, one member of the said mechanism beingprovided with a pivoted arm for engaging the IiXed projection of thegasometer-bell,a wedgeshaped projection below the pivoted arm, saidwedge-shaped projection serving to hold the pivoted arm in a horizontalposition and to engage a fixed part of the gasometer to move the arm outof the path of the projection, and a spring for returning the arm to itsnormal position after it has been swung upward by the projection of thegasometer-bell, substantially as described.

5. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a gasometerprovided with a projection on its bell, and a carbid-storage hopper inthe upper part of the generator, of a valve for closing the bottom ofthe hopper, a weighted lever to which the valve is pivoted, a linkhaving one end pivoted to the weighted IOO IIO

lever, a leveIl to one end of which the other end of the link ispivoted, a rod pivoted to the other end of the lever, an arm pivoted tothe upper end of the rod and adapted to engage the projection on thegasornetenbelltnl a Wedge-shaped projection on the said rod beloW thepivoted arm, said projection being adapted to support the arm and toengage a. ixed part carried by the gasometer to move 1o the said arm outof the path of the projec tion, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of tWO subscribing Witnesses.

JACOB H. WILLERS.

Witnesses:

THEO. G. HOSTER, EvERARD BOLTON MARSHALL.

